October's Soap Box Lecture: Social Artists, Ted Purves and Susanne Cockrell: 'Amity Works' October 6, 2007

October's Soap Box Lecture: Social Artists, Ted Purves and Susanne Cockrell: "Amity Works"

Ted Purves and Susanne Cockrell are a husband and wife collaborative that most recently created, The Temescal Amity Works, a "social sculpture" that facilitated and documented the exchange of backyard produce, conversation, and collective biography within the Temescal Neighborhood in Oakland.

Between July 2003 and January 2007, the artists maintained a storefront on Telegraph Avenue, managed a "Backyard Crop Sharing Cart"; produced neighborhood exhibitions, events, and gatherings; and created an ongoing series of printed materials-including profiles of neighbors and free services, and a community map. The storefront is now closed but their project continues on in a different form because of their interest in how communities build relationships through personal and casual economies.

Ted Purves's recent writing and curatorial focus examines the social roles of the artist and viewer as co-participants in active exchange. In 2002, he organized Generosity Projects, a weekend symposium and three commissioned public projects that examined the emergence of the transfer of useful goods and services as a contemporary medium for art.

Susanne Cockrell's performance and public work focuses on creating experiences that elevate the everyday into something more wonderful, mysterious and full of possibility. Over the last few years she has generated increasingly interactive projects developing ephemeral points of contact with her audience through use of knitting, shared story-telling, and conversational events.

http://www.amityworks.org/

After their lecture, refreshments will be served up the street at 301 Bocana Gallery (@ Cortland Ave.)

For more information, please visit: http://bernalbubbles.com/soapbox.html

FREE.

Official Website: http://bernalbubbles.com